What is the function of the ventricle?

A:

Quick Answer

The two ventricles in the human heart are responsible for pumping blood to different areas of the body. The human brain also contains cerebral ventricles, which are filled with cerebrospinal fluid and act as a communication pathway within the brain.

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Located in the lower left portion of the heart, the left ventricle is the thickest of the heart's four chambers. It receives blood from the left atrium through the mitral valve. The left ventricle then pumps the oxygen-rich blood through the aorta and into all of the organs and tissues of the body.

The right ventricle is located to the right of the left ventricle in the lower portion of the heart. This chamber pumps blood into the lungs through the pulmonary artery.

There are four ventricles in the brain, including two lateral ventricles. These ventricles are fluid-filled spaces in the forebrain and brain stem. Cerebrospinal fluid circulates through the brain ventricles after being created in the ventricular system, specifically, the choroid plexus. The fluid is then reabsorbed as a new supply is released. The four ventricles found in the brain are the adult equivalent of the embryonic brain's open spaces, and have no specific function other than providing pathways for fluid to move through the brain.